Etymology Journal · S
Straight from the horse's mouth
Meaning
- Information that comes directly from the original or most reliable source. It implies that you should trust the news because it bypassed the grapevine.
Authoritative, confident
Used in a sentence
- I know it is true because I heard it straight from the horse's mouth.
- If you want the schedule, talk to the manager directly to get it straight from the horse's mouth.
- She got the job offer straight from the horse's mouth this morning.
The backstory
This refers to checking a horse's teeth to determine its age. Since the horse's mouth is the primary source of the truth about its condition, the phrase was born.
Heard in
Nationwide
Vibe check